Iran test fires surface-to-surface missile

TEHRAN: Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi announced on Friday that Iranhas test fired a surface-to-surface missile, Qiam, a day before it isdue to launch its Russian-built first nuclear power plant. State television showed images of the sand coloured Qiam (Rising) blasting into the air from a desert terrain, amid chants of "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest). The words "Ya Mahdi" were written on the side of the missile, referringto Imam Mahdi, one of the 12 imams of Shiite Islam, who disappeared asa boy and whom the faithful believe will return one day to bringredemption to mankind.

Vahidi, whose speech during Friday prayers in Tehran was broadcast on television, did not say when the launch took place nor did he reveal the precise range of the missile.

Fars news agency had in a report earlier this week quoted the minister as saying that Qiam was a short-range missile.

"The missile has new technical aspects and has a unique tacticalcapacity," he said on Friday, adding that the device was of a "newclass."

"Since the surface-to-surface missile has no wings, it has lot of tactical power, which also reduces the chances of it being intercepted," he said.

Iran's ISNA news agency cited Vahidi as saying that Qiam was entirely designed and built domestically and was powered by liquid fuel.

"This missile is capable of hitting the target with high precision," Vahidi said.

On Tuesday, Vahidi had said that Qiam was to be test fired during theannual government week, the period when Tehran touts its achievementsin various fields. This year government week begins on Monday.

The third generation Fateh110 (Conqueror) missile was also to be test fired during this period.Iran has previously paraded a version of Fateh 110 which has a travelrange of 150 to 200 kilometres (90 to 125 miles).

Also duringgovernment week, the production lines of two missile-carryingspeedboats, Seraj (Lamp) and Zolfaqar (named after Shiite Imam Ali'ssword) are due to be inaugurated, while a long-range drone, Karar, isexpected to be unveiled.

The firing of Qiam comes days afterIran took delivery of four new mini-submarines of the home-producedGhadir class. Weighing 120 tonnes, the "stealth" submarines are aimedat operations in shallow waters, notably in the Gulf.

Iranianofficials regularly boast about Tehran's military capabilities and thelatest missile launch coincides with warnings by local officialsagainst any attack on the Islamic republic.

Iran's archfoes the United States and Israel have not ruled out a military strike against Tehran to stop its controversial nuclear programme.

On Saturday, Iran is due to launch its Russian-built first nuclearpower plant which eventually aims to generate 1,000 megawatts ofelectricity. The plant is scheduled to go online after more than threedecades of delays.

Iran's atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehisaid on Friday that Tehran aims to power the Bushehr plant in futurewith fuel made domestically for which the Islamic republic wouldcontinue its sensitive uranium enrichment programme.

"Enrichment (of uranium) for producing fuel for the Bushehr plant andother plants will continue," Salehi told state news agency IRNA.Currently, Russia has supplied the fuel for the plant.

Salehi said the contract with Russia does not stipulate that Tehranmust always buy fuel from Moscow, as the "memorandum of understandingsays they will meet our demand if we request" it.

"TheBushehr plant has a lifespan of 60 years and we plan to use it for 40years. Suppose we buy fuel for 10 years from Russia, what are we goingto do for the next 30 to 50 years?" Salehi said.

The Bushehr plant is not directly under UN sanctions, although the Security Council has slapped Tehran with four sets of punitive measures for pursuing its uranium enrichment programme.

Western countries suspect Tehran is enriching uranium to make nuclearweapons, a charge strongly denied by Iran. Enriched uranium can be usedto power nuclear reactors as well as to make the fissile core of anatom bomb.SOURCE HERE